The invention relates to a cushion element, in particular a seat cushion element or a headrest cushion element and/or a headrest for use in a motor vehicle, as well as a method for producing a cushion element and a headrest and/or a vehicle seat, in particular for a motor vehicle comprising a seat part and a backrest part comprising padding which covers the supporting structure made of metal or plastics and which serves for increasing the seating comfort.
In the field of producing cushion elements, in particular for motor vehicle seats, it is known that a large proportion of the backrests and/or seat surfaces of vehicle seats is increasingly produced from foamed parts, such as for example, from flexible polyurethane foam, and is subsequently covered with covers made of leather, textiles or the like. It is further known that a smaller proportion of the seat and backrest cushions, in particular in the automobile industry, is produced from latexed coir fibers. The reason for this application is that fibers in cushion covers have an improved microclimate, are better ventilated and thus provide improved comfort. In a known production method of cushion covers made of fiber composite materials, a vacuum and/or a low pressure is applied to a punching die in which an air-permeable non-woven fabric is located. Fibers with binding agents (for example latex) are scattered into this die. Subsequently, the cushion covers are dried in the die. In the following operating steps, the cushion cover is stamped, vulcanized and polished. In some fields of application, therefore, the very rigid and stiff cushion parts are produced from a fiber composite (such as for example comprising coir fibers and latex) which partially serves as an assembly support in order to receive and fasten fans, massage units and other components. This is only possible in the flexible foam by the use of additional reinforcing units/components.
During the production of such fiber composites, it is known that slightly different hardnesses may be present in the cushions, by different quantities of fibers being introduced into the die, whereby slight differences in hardness are able to be achieved, see for example the publication DE 695 04 987 T2.
However, for achieving greater differences in hardness, such as for example for achieving very soft seating behavior for improving the comfort, it is necessary for the fiber composite material/the cushion part to be covered with very flexible cut foam. This is a very costly and cost-intensive method as it generally has to be carried out by hand.
During the production of headrests it is known that a strengthening contouring part may be produced from an injection-molded element. These injection-molded elements may additionally comprise the headrest rod mechanism and/or be connected thereto.
It is, therefore, the object of the invention to provide a cushion element and a method for the production thereof which avoids the cited drawbacks and, in particular, improves the economics of producing horizontal and vertical hardness settings of the fiber composite material.